Police Bayonet – WKC

Product Description: This is a very nice example of a Police Bayonet – WKC, manufactured by the firm of Weyersberg, Kirschbaum & Cie. in Solingen. This one is in excellent condition. The blade is chrome plated, and very nice overall, with some typical runner marks as well as scattered spots of minor graying. The ricasso of the blade is crisply stamped with the knight’s head emblem of WKC. The handle on this Police Bayonet – WKC is very attractive, with exceptional stag grip plates showing no damage or condition issues. The wreathed national eagle grip emblem is likely of wartime manufacture, and is made of zinc. The grip emblem shows typical finish loss, though some of the original silvering is retained in the recesses. The eagle head pommel and oakleaf-decorated crossguard are in great shape, showing only very minor wear, with some minor age patination to the recesses that highlights the sharp detail on these fittings. The original leather buffer washer is present. The scabbard on this one is metal and retains nearly all of the original black enamel paint finish, with some minor age and handling wear. This Police Bayonet – WKC is complete with its original frog, made of black patent leather. The shiny finish on the leather frog shows some typical age deterioration, but the leather remains supple and has not become rock hard and brittle as is so often the case with patent leather from this period. Overall, this Police Bayonet – WKC is a very appealing example, in better condition than is typically encountered.

Historical Description: In 1936, the German government reorganized the German Polizei (police) with a series of new laws and changes. The result of this was a consolidated police force, with various branches all under control of SS chief Reichsführer Heinrich Himmler. One of the many changes instituted at that time was a new dress sidearm for all Polizei branches. Prior to 1936, many of the German police units used long dress bayonets with clamshell crossguards; officers generally wore private purchase variants that had a shorter blade. The new version instituted for Himmler’s police forces was shorter than the previous type, with a blade that measured about 13 inches in length. The clamshell crossguard was removed, and the Nazi-era German Police eagle and swastika organizational emblem replaced the previous six-sided grip insignia used since the Weimar period. The blades were generally nickel plated. The scabbards were typically leather-covered, with nickel fittings, and were suspended from the service belt by a leather bayonet frog. As with all Nazi-era German edged weapons, these were popular souvenirs that were avidly collected by Allied troops, and they remain very collectible today.

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